Stardust
by C.J.Ellison
Summary: Shackled by fate and fighting the effects of a sacrifice made a lifetime ago, Serena and her twin sister Mina move with their oblivious family into the city in a race to assemble the Sailor Scouts once more, and locate the lost royals- and the Silver Crystal- before evil can take its iron grip. Teenage hormones, alter egos, and handsome upperclassmen with hearts of ice. S/D SS/G
1. Prologue: A Prelude by the Sea

Shackled by fate and fighting the effects of a sacrifice made a lifetime ago, Serena and her twin sister Mina move to the city with their parents and little brother, racing to assemble the Sailor Scouts once more and locate the lost royals- and the Silver Crystal- before evil can take its iron grip. Teenage hormones, alter egos and handsome little rich-boys with hearts of ice. S/D

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A/N: Just to clear up any confusion, **I'll mostly be using the names from the English dub**. So Chiba Mamoru will be Darian Shields (or Endymion during his past life), and Rei's name will be anglicised to 'Raye', Makoto will be 'Lita', et cetera. However, Malachite (the fourth general, with the long white hair) will remain as Kunzite.

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Prologue  
The_ Prelude by the Sea_

It was their last morning in their childhood home, the last time that they would wake up to the sound of the ocean just outside their bedroom window, and Serena and Mina were determined to enjoy every moment of it before they left. Sneaking out of the house unnoticed was an art they had perfected years ago; before the dawn had even begun to fully break beyond the horizon, the twins were already up and dressing in the dark, almost tripping over the luggage stacked around their adjoining rooms as they struggled to find their way around without their usual furniture as a guide. Everything had already been packed away into boxes and suitcases, ready for them to leave and begin the long drive into the city.

The morning was cool and clear as they slipped away, taking the familiar winding, rocky trail down to the beach. The view was breath-taking; the sea rippled like molten silver, the rising sun staining the skies with shades of orange and coral and apricot as it shone like a beacon beyond the eastern cliff. With the salt-infused breeze ruffling their hair and matching summer dresses- ivory silk, dyed with soft raspberry pink at the seams like magnolia blossoms- the girls carefully picked their way down the stone steps cut into the side of the cliff, leaving their dainty sandals behind at its base as they began walking  
across the powdery crystal sands, and towards the waves.

Mina locked her fingers with Serena as they walked, leaving gentle dips in the smooth sand. "Hey… do you remember that summer when we were eight, that year when we spent almost every free second we had on the beach? Tommy Mason _swore_ to us that there was cursed pirate treasure in that cave."

Serena began giggling slightly at the memory came back to her. "Oh yeah! He only said it because the stream running over it makes it look like the cave in that pirate movie! I remember that we were searching for hours and hours in there- we terrified Mom and Dad out of their minds, thinking we were lost or something. They didn't let us past the garden fence for a whole week," she said, pausing to dip her bare foot into a nearby rock pool, flicking the still water into the air so that it sparkled like diamonds. Mina followed suit, sinking her toes into the soft sand beneath the surface, the water lapping at her ankle. "Hey- I might be wrong, but wasn't it around here somewhere that we took Sammy looking for crabs that once?"

"We were twelve," Mina confirmed with an enthusiastic nod. "He was so proud when he caught that little blue one, and all those tiny silver fish. He wanted to keep one as a pet, didn't he? I felt so bad for making him put them back, but it was what Dad had told us to do. He stopped crying pretty fast when we bought him that sundae, though." She suddenly laughed. "And then- and then, later, when we were paddling in the waters, you screamed when you felt a crab pinch your foot-!"

"Hey! You shrieked pretty loud too when I put seaweed in your hair for laughing at me!"

"Oh, that was _mean_! I only forgave you because you got pretty ill again that week, the first time in a while. I hardly moved from your bedside."

"Yeah, you were a sweetheart," Serena said, squeezing her hand warmly as they continued on, the sand becoming hard and damp as they came closer and closer to the water. "You always were there when I got sick. It was such a relief when those elixirs started working, because I knew that you weren't missing out on anything to be with me anymore."

"And you got to enjoy them with me instead," Mina reminded her, nudging Serena's shoulder gently with her own, "that's what I was happiest about."

The sand had begun to liquefy beneath their feet, leaving their footprints as wells of seawater, when they caught sight of it: the huge island of rock at the shoulder of the far cliff that was covered in a hundred sharp mussels, the waters lapping at its base. It was where the entire Kingston family had spent the summer solstice for as long as they could both remember, dressed in their swimsuits and gathering up as many of those dark shells as they could. In the evening their father would set a small fire-pit in the sand with dried seaweed and driftwood, and they would have a feast of warm bread and hot shellfish cooked in seawater right there on the beach, as the sun set on the longest day of the year.

They both wanted- _needed_- this move into the city. But still, the thought of leaving their home- and all of the implications it carried- stung.

"Guess we won't get to do the summer solstice tradition this year," Serena said wistfully, breaking the heavy silence as she unearthed an open mussel shell half-buried in the sand. A string of emerald green seaweed trailed from its base, the outside so dark a shade of navy that it was almost glossy black, the inside empty and rippled with pearl white and oceanic blues. Plucking at the fern and twisting it away, she snapped the two halves of the shell apart sharply and handed one of them to Mina, suddenly smiling bravely. "This just means that we'll have to come up with a new tradition, right?"

Mina grinned, bolstered by her twin's effervescence. "You bet!" She said, closing her fingers around the shell and thrusting it into the air enthusiastically, bursting with a sudden energy. A familiar spark of mischief lit up in their eyes- Serena's crystal blue, and Mina's darker cornflower- and a moment of silent understanding passed between them.

"Race you!"

"You're on!"

Their clasped hands broke apart and suddenly the competition was on. Both of them took off at a sprint towards the water, long blonde hair streaming out behind them as they kicked up a spray of sand in their wake, wet clumps hitting them in the backs of their thighs. Both raced to be first to the water- but as always, they ended up running shoulder-to-shoulder, completely uninhibited and giggling riotously as they hurtled towards the sea.

Their laughter turned into delighted shrieks of shock as they hit the water, the icy waves crashing over their ankles as it rolled into shore, the white foam glittering like crushed quartz. Their skirts gathered to their hips, the girls waded into the surf, swirling and dancing in the cold ocean, trails of seaweed winding their way around their ankles and calves as they laughed and talked about nothing and everything as though it was any other summer morning. The sun rose over the two teenage girls playing in the sea like children, the light glinting off their long blonde hair- one a slightly paler shade and pulled back with a red ribbon, the other twisted up into twin buns and as golden as the sun. Their differences were subtle enough to pull off a switch with ease, but striking enough to make them unique; Mina was a touch taller and broader at the shoulders, Serena almost imperceptibly larger at the bust and slimmer at the waist, their bone structure subtly different but equally as attractive- Serena's high cheekbones and the matchless curve of her eyes were a dead giveaway, her sister's slightly more almond shaped, her lashes a little lighter. They were less like night and day, and more like dawn and dusk: you had to look to see the differences, but they were there.

"We should probably be getting back," Mina called out reluctantly over the rushing of the sea, barely holding the hem of her dress above the waves as she stumbled back towards the sand, looking longingly back over her shoulder. "We're leaving at eight, remember? Mom and Dad will be up soon."

Serena nodded grudgingly, and followed suit. "Ugh, I guess you're right. They'll probably get worried if we stay too long."

With great effort, the two girls dragged themselves from the water and began the long trek back across the sand, the incoming tide chasing their heels. Sitting down to brush the grains of sand from their feet and slip their sandals back on, the girls hurried back up the cliff path and entered the front door just as their father padded in to the open-plan kitchen, hair rumpled, glasses askew and looking very drowsy.

"Morning, Daddy," Serena quickly chimed sweetly, cutting him off with a pre-emptive strike as Mina, knowing her part in their diversion routine well, quickly headed over to the coffee machine and set to work. "Coffee? It'll be a long drive."

Their father yawned widely. "G-g-girls? Wh-why on earth are you two up so early? Serena, I thought I might have to carry you to the car…" He stretched his arms above his head, as he climbed onto one of the high barstools at the island counter top, combing his fingers through his mussed brunette hair ineffectually.

About ten years ago, K.G. Kingston had written the ground-breaking article that made his career, laying the foundations for him to become one of the most regarded journalists on the continent. In the next decade he had won eight major awards, and accumulated enough money to give all three children the best start in life twenty times over. His reputation was astounding, his skill with words revered, the idol of many budding journalists and reporters. But here- sitting in their kitchen in a grey t-shirt and a blue-and-white striped pair of pyjama bottoms, his hair a mess, looking pleased and slightly confused at his two daughters fixed him his morning coffee- he was just their father, who was an awful cook but somehow made the best pancakes, who taught them to ride a bike and had banned them from dating until they were thirty from the very moment a boy-band poster had found its way onto their bedroom wall.

Eventually their mother wandered in, her hair tied back in a loose ponytail and looking significantly more awake than their other parental unit- upon spotting them in her domain, she quickly herded them into the sun-room to wait for the 'leaving breakfast' that she had probably planned weeks ago. Their sun-room was walled almost entirely in glass; beyond it, the horizon slowly faded up from watercolour shades of orange into peppermint green and a pale misty blue, the sea like blue satin in the morning light. Sammy came in a few minutes later, rubbing his eyes and crawling up onto his seat sluggishly, and was even dozing off against Serena's shoulder when their mother sashayed in with breakfast. She had outdone herself yet again, and by the proud smile that was glowing on her face, she knew it. The round table was laid out with fresh pancakes, with syrup and butter and sugar and whipped cream; cut-glass bowls full of orange slices, raspberries, strawberries, cherries and mango in some sort of sweet, sticky sauce; thin, crisped bacon and slices of smoked salmon, with fluffy scrambled eggs and hot cornbread; blueberry and chocolate muffins, jugs of ice-cold milk and orange juice, hot cocoa and coffee and green tea.

"Eat up, everyone!" She said with a brilliant smile, pouring everyone's drinks and gesturing for them to dig in. "We have a big day ahead of us, and we don't know when we'll be able to stop for lunch. Goodness knows that all those roadside stations serve is junk…"

"Oh, honey," their father said as she served him a tall stack of pancakes dripping with golden syrup, planting a kiss on his cheek. "This is amazing!"

"And _delicious_!" Serena added with zest, stuffing a spoonful of pancake, syrup and fruit into her mouth and humming out her deep approval.

"Aw! Thank you, darling," her mother said, smoothing back her hair lovingly and pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "I wanted to do this, for you three especially. You've all been so wonderful about the move, and I know that it can't have been easy."

"It's okay, Mom!" Mina said quickly, looking over her shoulder at her mother with a forkful of salmon and egg hovering halfway up towards her mouth. "The move means that Dad will be around a lot more- and the house we're moving into is beautiful! I mean, we each get a suite to ourselves, there's even an adjoining set for me and Serena, and there's loads of room for our new friends to stay over, and a swimming pool, and the neighbourhood and schools are great-"

Sammy swallowed his mouthful of milk thickly. "Yeah! And my friends said they'll write to me all the time. I bet that they'll be loads of arcades with the latest M&V video games in the city! They're all really jealous!"

It was only then that any of them noticed the faint shimmer in their mother's eyes, and their father's fond look. Upon being noticed, their father buried himself in his coffee and their mother swiped the threat of tears away brusquely, urging them to hurry up and finish eating so that they could pack up the rest of their things and their travelling bags for the journey, as the moving crew would be here in an hour and they were on a very tight schedule.

After they had eaten their fill, the girls washed up and headed to their rooms, the sliding doors connecting the two left wide open as usual. Both bedrooms were almost completely empty, the walls painted a neutral cream; boxes labelled with thick black marker were stacked against the walls, a total of eight suitcases between them and their beds the only pieces of furniture left- they would be getting new ones after the move. As the girls began packing their overnight bags, stuffing in their favourite pyjamas and combs and toothbrushes, twin streaks of black and white suddenly leapt in through Serena's open window, landing on her bed.

"Luna! Artemis!"

Mina heard Serenity's cry and quickly came to the door; the two cats that had changed their lives forever were sat on top of her pink satin bedspread. They had only been six years old at the time; returning from their nearby school in a the midst of a rainstorm, they had found the cardboard box stuffed carelessly down the side of an alleyway and dissolving into a sodden pulp in the downpour, the two ragged balls of fur curled up together for warmth under the melting lid. There wasn't any hesitation in what they did next; their mother was astounded, but the girls had insisted that it was destiny. There were two of them- a matching set just like themselves, one for each of them- and the white one with the sapphire eyes had instantly taken a liking to Mina, the black kitten with ruby-coloured irises favouring Serena from the moment she picked her up. The little girls had needed no further proof that it was meant to be, plain and simple.

When their mother had uttered that unexpected, horrifying word- _no_- they had trailed after her for hours, clutching the tiny, vulnerable kittens to their chests protectively as they begged her to change her mind. But when their father returned from work that night and actually _agreed_ that they should take them to an animal shelter first thing in the morning, Mina had burst into tears. And Serena, so fiercely loyal to and protective of her sister, threw a fit of truly epic proportions.

It was that alone that changed their parents' minds. From a very young age, Serena's health had been fragile in a way that no doctor had ever been able to explain; it was eventually blamed on a combination of anaemia and a poor immunity to fever-inducing viruses when she was four years old, despite all of her blood tests appearing normal. That night, Serena had deliberately worked herself into such a state that their mother and father had changed their minds simply to placate her and stop her from making herself sick. Triumphant, the girls had gone to bed happy, the two kittens with the golden crescent-moons on their foreheads sleeping at their ankles.

Luna, the black kitten named by Serena, and Artemis, her white counterpart named by Mina, talked for the first time a week after the girls had rescued them from that alley. It was only then that they learned the real reason behind why Serena's body was so weak, and the fate that had been mapped out for them by the stars: they were the reincarnations of two celestial warriors from the past, two of the fated defenders of galaxy- the Sailor Scouts of the Moon and Venus. Serena's poor health was the result of a sacrifice that she, Sailor Moon, had made during the Silver Millennium in order to protect the ones that Queen Serenity had sent into the uncertain future on Earth; in exchange for her body's strength, she gained a divine protection for her scouts and the two royal heirs- the Prince of Earth and the Princess of the Moon- binding them together in their new lives on Earth and giving them another thread of hope for a victory against the Negaverse and its Dark Queen, Beryl.

As the first to be awakened, it became their mission to fight evil and keep the darkness at bay until the other scouts realised their own power. Then, once the Sailor Scouts we reunited and at full force, they must find the royals- most importantly, the Moon Princess, who possessed the sacred Silver Crystal that could restore Serena's body and help them defeat the Negaverse before they engulfed the solar system, and then the entire universe, in piercing darkness.

With Luna and Artemis as their mentors, they trained for five long years until they were ready to take on the evil already seeping into society from the Negaverse; they learned how to make the elixirs that sustained Serena and kept her strong, building up her resilience until her health was finally on a par with her sister's, the doctors considering her 'cured'; they grew together as warriors of peace and light, becoming more experienced with every bruise and sore muscle and sleepless night they endured. After ten long years of intense training and fighting together as their Sailor Scout alter-egos, the time was finally right.

There was a reason why the girls were so compliant about the move from the very start. They had helped to make it all happen, after all.

"All packed and ready to go, Scouts?" Luna asked in her prim tone, bounding nimbly across the satin covers to peer into Serena's bag. It appeared that Mina and Serena had split the things that they would need in the car between the two of them; Serena's old dance bag was crammed with two small travel pillow-and-throw sets, a wad of comic books, both of their portable game consoles and enough chocolate and sweets to feed a small army.

"Almost," Mina replied cheerily, carrying a few bottles of water in one arm and a nail polish kit in the other, her eyes glinting briefly at her twin. Only she could make her Serena's nails look like a work of art in a moving car. "Just our overnight bags to pack. Can't find my sleeping mask, I haven't seen it since we used them for slingshots that once-" Her feline mentor suddenly leapt onto a stack of boxes before her, the scrap of padded fabric she was looking for trailing from his mouth. "Oh! Thanks, Artemis."

"S'nukay, u'r wurlcrum," he managed to get out through a mouthful of sky-blue silk as Mina took the sleeping mask from between his teeth and tossed it into her bag neatly. "_Pah_! Listen, I know you girls are still a little down about the move, but at least the day's finally here," Artemis said, working his mouth to get rid of some of the dryness the fabric had left. "We know that the plan worked. And sailor business is going to be a lot easier once we're based in the city. I've checked the area within a fifty mile radius of your new home, and there's a gaming arcade not too far away with a lot of Sailor M&V game consoles, not to mention a basement underneath it. It's the perfect control station, with all the technology we need whilst remaining discreet…"

The white cat trailed off when he saw that his pep-talk hadn't exactly worked wonders. With a sigh, he tried a different tack to cheer the girls up. "Uh- look- if nothing else, you can at least be proud of what you achieved. Your plan was well-thought out, and you executed it extremely well. Using mine and Luna's voices to influence things with the two companies was very clever, and you both played your parts perfectly."

"Artemis is right," Luna chipped in, her tail flicking back and forth in the air. "I know I rarely say this, but you girls- you really did an outstanding job on this one." Both twins looked up to stare at Luna in surprise, shocked and pleased by the praise tumbling from her mouth. "And soon, you can reunite with all of the other Sailor Scouts! Won't that make it all worth it?"

Serena grinned, folding the simple nightgown in her arms and shoving it into her night bag. "Yeah, someone to help take the load off! Saving the world is hard work!"

For once, Luna simply smiled affectionately and refrained from chastising her charge. Only the two felines and her twin sister had any inkling of what was hiding behind that soft and sunny exterior; for all her wailing and immaturity, Serena had shouldered her responsibilities and the burden she was born into with a grace, never cracking beneath the pressure regardless of the way her confidence was constantly dented and her insecurities compacted by criticism that, as often as not, was undeserved. Sleepless nights took a greater toll on her than on Mina- the elixirs were not perfect, and she still needed a few more hours of sleep than the average girl to function properly; after fighting monsters all night, she only had time to sleep during class, which meant that she missed a lot of the work. And Luna had come to realise that her wailing was only a smokescreen, complaining about the smallest things to hide her true misery. All of it- the laziness, the poor grades, the tears- rather than being the mark of someone unworthy to be the leader of the Sailor Scouts, the cat had realised that it had slowly become a sign of her merit. Once they might have been true, but they were quickly becoming only the adverse effects of her dedication- and when criticised, she bravely kept up the façade and let them, remaining as fiercely loyal and determined to prove herself as ever.

Today, Luna kept silent. Today of all days, her beloved little cry-baby of a Sailor Scout needed the warmth of laughter in her ears, not nagging.

"Hey, sis?"

"Yes?" Both Mina and Serena replied automatically at the sound of their brother calling.

Sammy appeared in their doorway, both sisters looking back at him expectantly, half a dozen items in their arms waiting to be packed. "Oh, wait- uh, you guys are busy, that's okay, never mind-"

"_Sammy_."

Both girls' voices rang out warningly as their brother attempted to sneak away, and he reappeared rather sheepishly. "Uh- I, er, well," he stalled, scuffing the carpet with the toe of his sandals. "I just- Mom's busy and Dad's on the phone, and I was wondering- if maybe- you guys could take me down the beach one last time…?" He bit his lower lip nervously, a habit he had picked up from Serena, and slowly revealed the large glass coffee jar he was hiding behind his back, the label scrubbed off and the interior clear and sparkling, secured with caramel-gold plastic lid. "Wanted to take a jar of sand with me," he muttered, the tips of his ears beginning to turn red.

With a glance, the twins knew that they had let him embarrass himself enough. "Of course we can go down to the beach, Sammy," Mina cut across him, voice nonchalant and light.

"Ooh! We can get ice-creams! I bet the shop's open by now, you know how early they open in the summer." With that, Serena was up and grabbing her cute little clutch purse- picked out by Mina, naturally- before anyone could get a word in edgewise.

Not that they disagreed in the slightest, of course.

Forty-eight minutes, one jar of sand, three more dives into the surf and a selection platter of the best ice-cream on the coast later, the Kingston siblings dragged their feet all the way back up to the house where the moving van was now waiting on the drive, a tall woman with wavy, midnight blue hair bossing the workers around as she might do her own children. Wisely sneaking in the back way, their father simply gave an approving nod at their decision and let them sneak past their last-minute-stress-mode mother, taping up the last box. The girls returned to their own rooms- now truly barren, with their small bags left under the windows- and hastily stuffed the last of their belongings into the right bags, adopting identical looks of innocence as their mother walked in.

"Ready?" She asked in a cheery tone that suggested grievous bodily harm if the reply was no.

"Of course!"

"Packed up and ready to go!"

"Just these that need to be taken to the car."

Their mother nodded, satisfied, as Luna suddenly appeared and wrapped around her ankles with a soft, curious _mrow?_, before quickly leaping into Serena's arms and settling her head into the crook of her neck comfortably. Artemis was hot on her heels, running to and sitting patiently at Mina's feet until she scooped him up.

"Girls- are you sure that you don't want to put those two in the pet carrier?" She said doubtfully. "They might be more comfortable on the way there…"

"It's fine, Mom," Mina promised, the cat tucked under her chin. "They won't run away or anything. Besides, neither of them likes cages very much, and this is pretty stressful for them. If we put them in the cat carriers, they'll be bouncing off the walls- but if they're on our laps, I bet they'll just sleep the entire journey." Artemis purred enthusiastically in affirmation. Their mother laughed, shaking her head.

"My goodness, anyone would think that you could actually _talk_ to those two!" Serena and Mina instantly tensed up, their guardian's claws digging into their flesh in silent panic. "Alright, alright. If Luna and Artemis prefer to be out, then that's fine. Just hurry up girls, we leave in five minutes! I'll get your father to take the rest of your suitcases to the vans!"

Their smiles were tight as she swept away distractedly, letting out a sigh of relief as soon as she was gone. "For a moment there, I thought she was onto us for sure…"Luna murmured weakly into Serena's ear.

"Oh, come _on_- as if anyone would ever _seriously_ suspect that you two can _talk_," Serena snorted, setting Luna down and gathering up her bags. "Even we thought that we were hallucinating at first… now come on, you guys, time to go!" Linking her arms into her sister's, she promptly began dragging Mina out, the cats darting after them.

The late summer sun made the air taste like molten gold, infusing everything with an extra shot of vibrant colour. The family car was waiting in the driveway, gleaming a glamorous hot-rod red, their mother still doling out detailed instructions to the movers and their father packing the last of the bags into the trunk of the car, as Sammy pelted up towards their neighbour' house to say goodbye to a friend.

The girl's fingers interlocked once more at the sight, squeezing tightly. "Do you think we'll miss it?" Mina asked quietly.

Serena took in the cool breeze, the delicious weight of the air, the heady fragrance of summer blossoms exploding in the gardens amongst sea-weathered rocks. "Of course. We grew up here- as long as we have the memories of it with us, we'll…" Suddenly inspired, Serena suddenly let go of her sister's hand and dug around in her bag for a moment, leaving Mina feeling bemused until their father walked back towards them to retrieve another suitcase from the empty house. "Oh! Daddy!"

Their father paused in mid-stride. "Yes, sweetheart?"

Serena held up her half of the large mussel shell, still glittering with a sheen of grit from the beach. "Mina and I collected a couple of seashells on the beach this morning, so once we get to the city, do you maybe think you could find a good jewellery specialist? You know, to clean them out and drill a hole in them and put them on one of those cute bohemian leather string necklaces with the little silver clasps- they have to match, of course- maybe with a couple of beads of jade or amethyst or something…? Just so we can always have a way of carrying this place with us."

"Oh honey," he said, his expression melting, "that's a beautiful idea. Of course, I'll look someone up once we get to the city."

"Thanks Dad!" Serena squealed, throwing her arms around him with a brilliant smile. "You're the best!"

"Don't I know it, kiddo. Come on, you two go get in the car." He winked at them both surreptitiously. "You know what your mother's like with her schedules."

As he dashed back inside the house, the two girls tucked their travel bags into the foot-wells in the back seat of the car and tossed the overnight bags in the back- and, with a cautious glance in their mother's direction, wandered over to the edge of the driveway where the wooden fence sat, both of them climbing up to perch on the top rung and watch the rolling waves on the horizon, the faint outlines of people and the flecks of colour in their beach towels beginning to filter onto the smooth expanse of the beach. Artemis and Luna balanced on the fences beside them in silence, giving them a moment.

Suddenly, Serena spoke up. "You were right Luna."

The black cat looked merely confused for a moment, her dark coat shining in the intense sun as she processed the words. "Right about what, exactly?"

The Sailor Scout of the Moon shrugged and gestured all around her. "This. It's not sad at all, really, is it? Because nothing is really _ending_. It's kind of like a circle- it never stops. Whenever something ends, something else is waiting to start. And new starts are always fun and new and exciting, right?"

"Hey, yeah!" Mina said, suddenly perking up. "You're right, 'Rena- it's just a new beginning, so why be sad? Because, for something to start-"

"Something _has_ to end too!" Serena finished jubilantly, proud of her little analogy. Without a second thought the twins slid off of the fence, their skirts almost snagging on the splinters, Luna and Artemis leaping down deftly. "So no more being sad! Let's look forwards to shopping sprees and arcades and the city and chic restaurants and the other Sailors and new friends-"

"And the future!" Mina declared dramatically, her attempted seriously expression dissolving into laughter almost instantly.

"Yes! To the future!"

They toasted imaginary glasses in the summer air, turning away from the ocean without regret. With that, the Sailors Venus and Moon got into the car with smiles on their faces, and a new spark of motivation within their eyes.

It was a good job, too. With the storm that was looming over the horizon, they were going to need it.


	2. Chapter I: The End of Summer

_**EDIT [12:03PM GMT; 07/05/2013]. Prologue has been cleaned up.**_

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.:~*~:.

Chapter I_  
__The End of Summer_

They crossed the city limits just as evening was beginning to fall across the skyline, the metropolis glittering with countless tiny beads of light, its shadow carved out in sharp relief against the cobalt and dusk-violet sky; Serena found herself speechless at the sight, delighted by the realisation that this- _this_- would be the view from her bedroom window from now on. The sounds of the city may not compare to the soothing rhythm of ocean waves, but the landscape was a definite contender. Even with dusk approaching fast, she could see the shadows of skyscrapers sculpting the horizon, a suspension bridge of black iron and concrete strung high above the deep natural river, the city bordered by the suburbs and a vast park- their new late-night training grounds, she supposed. Back on the coast, Serena and Mina used to trek out to a secluded beach about half a mile or so away, practicing on the cool sands by the moonlight. Looking at the labyrinth of concrete and glass before them, Serena supposed that the small lakeside forest would probably be the best substitute- though not nearly as romantic, she added internally with a disappointed sigh. _Oh well._

With everyone too tired and tightly-wound from the long drive to start unpacking, their father had instead suggested that they could move into the house tomorrow, and checked them into a hotel for the night. Mina spent the rest of the evening flicking vaguely through the tourist brochures in their family suite, Serena dozing on the twin bed next to her with Luna curled up against her stomach. The amount of new information they were learning about their new home turf was disconcerting, to say the least.

"Maybe we should have researched more about the area _before_ we moved…?" Serena drawled out with a muffled yawn, stroking a finger between Luna's velveteen ears drowsily.

Mina gave an awkward little laugh, realising that her sister had just unknowingly hit upon a very valid point. Although the Sailor Scout duo had built up their alter egos' reputations here- mainly so that their sudden spike in activity within the city wouldn't be noticeable once they moved- they actually knew very little about the place, aside from what their father told them. Serena and Mina had only gone when and where they were needed in the past, and after they had dealt with whatever abomination had popped up this time, there was usually only enough time left to get back without their absence being noticed. Even with the help of their mentors and the extra boost that their alternate forms gave them, there were some very narrow misses. Even superheroes have their limits.

"Funny, though," Mina mused aloud as she tossed the glossy brochures to one side drowsily, "that 'Rena of all people would be the one to notice something like that, when even _Luna_ overlooked it… guess you're not the leader of the Sailor Scouts just for your pretty face, huh, sis?"

Serena didn't reply. When Mina looked up, she realised that her sister had already fallen asleep- and so had Luna. Chuckling, Mina slid under her sheets and switched out the lights, feeing Artemis settle himself at the foot of the bed. "Good idea, sis. It's been a long day…"

And sure enough, their early wake-up call came back to bite them the next morning. It took their mother threatening them with a jug of cold water (something they both knew better than to assume was a bluff) for the twins to finally return to the world of the living, eventually dragging themselves out of bed when she told them that the new house was almost ready, and they were going to be leaving in half an hour.

By the time they had gotten changed, grabbed a couple of bottles of juice from the mini fridge and headed out to the parking lot, the family's overnight bags were already packed up and the others were already strapped in and waiting impatiently. The girls climbed into the back of the car, still stiff with sleep, the cats leaping in after them.

"Hey, look, it's a miracle!" Sammy crowed with unnecessary volume, a familiar smirk creeping across his face. "Serena's up before midday!"

In a well-practiced move that she could have executed in her sleep, Serena slapped the back of her little brother's head deftly- not enough to hurt, just enough to shut him up- and turned to close the car door as if nothing had happened. "This house had better be worth it…" Serena muttered as she buckled her seatbelt, ignoring her brother's filthy look and her mother's chastisement, leaning her temple against the cool glass of the window. Mina huffed out her wordless agreement, yawning widely into her hand.

As soon as the house was mentioned, however, their father immediately perked up and plunged into a description of their new home for the fifth time in as many days. It had taken just under four years to finish; the property had originally been an abandoned townhouse, an empty shell that K.G. had snapped it up for a steal when they had first decided to move into the city a few years ago. He had hired a team of expert architects to remodel it and handed the task of interior decoration over to his capable wife, gutting it and renovating the entire building into what he claimed was a perfect new family home that blended modern and classic styles in an effortless fusion.

The speech was so familiar to them all that Serena caught her sister lip-syncing some of it behind his back, and found herself snickering quietly as Mina mouthed the words with hilarious accuracy. Until she saw the house, that is. The moment it swept into view, the occupants of the car fell deathly silent.

Set on the cusp of the inner city, deep within the wealthiest district, the building was different from any other in the neighbourhood; instead of a sprawling mansion, their new home was a tower of soft grey stone and glass, bold yet strangely elegant. It soared six storeys high, overlooking the roofs of the properties around it without being too conspicuous, surrounded by trees and a brick and iron fence trailing with ivy and flowering vines, with what looked like a comfortably sized back garden behind it. The top three floors featured beautiful wrought-iron balconies, the sliding glass doors blending seamlessly into the floor-length windows. A short set of curved steps led up to the door, cut from the same pale dove-grey stone as the walls, an assortment of flowers blossoming on either side under the windows- even the front door was lovely, carved from a dark rosewood, the house number and post-box drilled onto the left side of the stone arch.

"You, er- darling, you _really_ weren't exaggerating about this place, were you?" Irena commented weakly as they pulled up in front of their new house and got out of the car, stood in the shade of the trees lining the pavement outside. K.G. glanced up from where he was unloading their bags from the trunk, grinning at his wife.

"Wait until you see inside."

Serena and Mina exchanged elated looks.

The place was all mahogany and glass, the floors paved with boards of polished rosewood and slabs of marble- both in a pure, radiant white and a richly swirled caramel-gold that Serena could have never thought possible. The seats were black suede and chocolate leather, windows framed in black chrome, high ceilings hanging with sparkling light fixtures that could be adjusted by the dimmers on the walls, all of the rooms flooded with natural light. The front door opened up into the large foyer and a sweeping staircase, connected by wide, open archways to a sleek kitchen with glossy black granite worktops, the sizable dining room and a sitting room that faced out onto the generous back garden.

The second and third floors contained the main living spaces, the latter with their father's private study and extensive library, the former with the large main bathroom, complete with a claw-footed bathtub and waterfall taps. The fourth floor, however, was almost exclusively Sammy's; his bedroom was decorated in cool shades of turquoise blues and pale greens, simple and masculine, and a room fully equipped with arcade games and dance machines just down the hall. The girls found that they would be sharing the fifth storey; their rooms were connected by a sliding rosewood door, both h walk-in wardrobes and done in an elegant colour scheme of ivory, black and gold, a huge dressing room-slash-bathroom shared between them. Their parents would take the fifth floor to themselves, a sanctuary of deep red and cream.

The family spent the next two hours exploring the house from the chilled basement to the sun-heated roof. Mina squealed in unabashed delight when she discovered the beautiful rooftop garden, already planning an end-of-summer party once they had enrolled into their new school and made a few friends. Their mother spent a full hour rhapsodising at length over the sleek technology in the kitchen and setting up her new cooking station, whilst their father began setting up his office. Luna and Artemis, meanwhile, bounded up and down the stairs, nosing in every room as they got a feel for the place and began quietly deciding on the best methods of entry and exit for their Sailor Scouts.

Regardless of the luxury of the place, and how every aspect had been carefully personalised for them, Serena couldn't help but privately note how different it felt from their childhood home; there was no doubt that, given a few weeks, she would love it just as much and quickly get used to the place- but for now, the absence of rushing waves and the call of ocean birds was just too jarring, the lack of salt in the breeze and the addition of inner-city flora and petrol too unfamiliar, the presence of skyscrapers on the horizon where there should only be glittering summer waters and ragged cliffs too new for her to start calling the place 'home' just yet. But seeing how happy the rest of the family were, and knowing how badly her father wanted their new life to start off on the right foot, Serena kept quiet and let the excited atmosphere cover for her distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Mina noticed, though, and suggested getting out of the house to explore the local neighbourhood for a while- it would give them an excuse to escape the craziness that was bound to arrive sooner or later with setting up the rest of the house. Serena quickly agreed, silently grateful for the fact that she and her sister had always shared that odd legendary 'twin' bond.

With all the unpacking and organising still to be done, and their mother's adamant refusal to order takeout for their first meal in their new home, it wasn't hard for them to acquire permission to go out for a few hours, promising to pick up a few key ingredients at the store for dinner. Their father slipped them a little extra money to stop at a café so that they could stay out of their mother's way a little longer- who seemed to have become a whirling dervish of indigo hair, her favourite spatula and a constant stream of instructions. Needless to say, both girls were more than happy to break out of the chaos before it really set in.

Even in spite of her slight homesickness, Serena couldn't help but smile as she as her sister stepped out onto the street, the blue skies streaked with a faint mist of clouds, the sun burning bright. The girls had dressed in their favourite summer colours, in almost perfectly reversed colours- Serena in a ruffled white skirt and butter-yellow top with cerise-pink wedge sandals, and Mina in a purple top and black skirt, paired with simple blue flats. Alright, she could admit it- this place was really pretty, and a part of her had been telling the truth when she had sworn to their father that she was looking forwards to the move…

"Now, then, where shall we start?" A familiar prim voice said from somewhere near Serena's ankles, and the teenage heroine resisted the equally familiar urge to roll her eyes.

"Come _on_, Luna, it's our first time out!" Serena complained, looking down at the sleek black cat that was trotting in perfect stride with her and her sister, Artemis on her other side. "Can't we just relax? Maybe check out this arcade or something? I bet that the ice cream here isn't as good as it is on the coast, but-"

"Serena," Luna interrupted, her garnet eyes looking sternly up at her protégée as she drew out her name warningly. "Time is of the essence, and we are starting from scratch here! We need to explore the area at the first opportunity, and we cannot afford to delay due to _your_ laziness."

Serena huffed irritably and, sensing an approaching argument between the two, Mina cut in swiftly. "How about me and Serena check out this Crown Games Centre as a possible base, figure out the layout- _and_ go shopping for stuff for dinner," she added, waving the list their mother had scrawled out for them, "while you two take a look at routes through the city? After all, you two can probably do that a lot better than us, and we can quiz the locals about the area. We'll get it all done in half the time that way!"

Serena immediately perked up at the sound of this plan. "Seconded!" She declared. "Great idea, V! See, Luna, you can't say no to that!"

Luna looked as though she might protest, but Artemis beat her to the punch. "Luna, maybe it's not such a bad idea," he said placatingly, his blue eyes gazing into hers meaningfully. "I mean, it will be a lot less conspicuous to have a couple of cats jumping through trees than two teenage girls, and until we know how strong the Negaverse's presence is here, we don't want to draw unwanted attention to ourselves…"

Luna blanched under his piercing gaze. Unbeknownst to the girls, she and Artemis had been holding a serious talk upstairs before their Sailor Scouts had interrupted and said that they would be going out for a while. Whilst the Sailor Scout duo was fully prepared to take on the impending threat that loomed on the horizon, Luna and Artemis were both concerned about Serena's health. Thanks to her intensive training and the elixirs that she took every lunar cycle, her body had never been stronger- however, they both knew that the pressure of taking on the responsibility of leadership once the other Scouts had awakened might destroy that hard-earned health in one fell swoop. _"That damned curse!"_ Luna had exploded with frustration. _"Alright, so she is a little whiny at times, and she hasn't quite shaken those cry-baby tendencies just yet- but by the Moon, Artemis, the girl works _hard_! She's come a long way, and no matter what else she may be, that success is all down to her. To see it all destroyed because of the sacrifice she made to protect us, to form the bonds that keep us and the Sailor Scouts and the royals all connected- it seems so unjust…"_

Remembering her own words, and with a tense glance in Artemis' direction, Luna nodded, conceding defeat.

"I see your point, Venus. I suppose it couldn't hurt." With a resigned sigh, Luna sent the teenagers off with a dignified flick of her tail. "Oh, alright, go on. We'll meet you back here at five thirty- _and not a minute later, do you hear me, young lady?! Serena_,_ that means you!_" Luna yowled after the two slender figures, who were already bolting down the pavement, their long blonde hair flashing under the dappled light cast by the canopy of the trees lining the street, silken petals fluttering in the warm air despite the threat of autumn already gilding the leaves. Luna couldn't help but soften at the sight, shaking her ebony head in exasperation.

"Artemis, what in the name of the Moon are we going to do with them?"

The white feline chuckled, nudging his head against hers gently. "How about we just let them be a couple of normal teenagers for today? We'll start drilling them tomorrow. _Hard_."

* * *

Andrew thought he might strangle the next person who suggested in his presence that the Arcade would 'quiet down once summer ends'. Because, actually, the opposite was true. You might assume that summer would be the most hectic time in the year for the Crown Games Arcade and Ice Cream Bar, and for the first month or so, you would be right. The place was usually packed for the first few weeks leading up to and including the start of the summer holidays, milling with students glad to finally be out of their stuffy classrooms and basking in the beautiful weather instead. But soon enough, the novelty of freedom wore off and business would plateau- there were more customers than usual, sure, but it was manageable enough.

However, in his experience, the end of the summer was actually the busiest. Students were suddenly realising that they would be back in school soon, and made a concerted effort to make the most of the summer heat and the freedom that came with it between hasty preparations for the coming semester. The arcade suddenly experienced an influx of young customers, laden with books and school supplies from the mall, bemoaning the fact that they were back in school in a few short weeks and ordering extra-large chocolate malts and servings of fries to boost their spirits. It was even worse once school actually started- students started pouring in to meet up for a milkshake and a few rounds of Sailor M&V whilst they worked on their new homework assignments, and it only really got quiet once autumn really set in and everyone had been back for a few weeks.

Needless to say, none of this was good news for Andrew, who had his own truckload of studying to do for college.

That afternoon, after the arcade had quietened down a little, Andrew took out one of his textbooks and laid it open on the countertop in the hope that he could cram in a little studying during the lull, cleaning up milkshake glasses whilst reading up on the treatment of various common respiratory conditions. Unlike a certain classmate, he wasn't gifted with an uncanny ability to skim through his notes, pick out the key points and memorise them with little to no effort whatsoever. Often at times like this, Andrew envied his best friend- everything Darian did just seemed so effortless sometimes. Then again, he did admittedly study a hell of a lot harder than Andrew, and he could come off as cold, uncaring, self-important, over-achieving jerk-ass who had no patience for anyone who didn't measure up to his own ridiculously high standards-

Just as he was beginning to rethink his envy over his friend's academic achievements, the glass doors slid open and Andrew automatically looked up with his patented, welcoming smile.

_Oh wow._

With all the customers the arcade had in the space of a week, Andrew really only ever remembered the names and faces of the devoted regulars. These two girls, however, he was certain he had never seen before. Both had silky blonde hair cascading past their waists, a similar slender figure and blue eyes- twin sisters, Andrew guessed, judging by the fact that they looked about the same age. Both of them were seriously cute, at that. Their sun-bronzed arms linked, the girls glanced around the arcade with an oddly analysing look- but before he could think too much on it, the expression melted away and they headed up to the glossy pink counter, smiling casually at him.

"Welcome to the Crown Arcade, ladies," Andrew said, flashing another smile. The girls giggled, the one with her hair styled into two buns either side of her head resting her elbows atop the counter as her twin slid the displayed menu towards her. "What can I get you?"

"Good question," the girl with the red velvet hair ribbon replied with a flirtatious smile, tapping her nail against the menu. "We're new here, so you'll have to recommend us the best thing on the menu…"

"Well, you can't beat a good milkshake," Andrew replied. "And I don't mean to brag, but I do make a pretty good chocolate and raspberry ripple."

"No way!" The girl with the buns suddenly burst into a radiant smile. "That's my favourite! Ah, I'm, um, Serena, by the way, and this is my sister Mina."

"And you had better be telling the truth about your milkshake-making prowess- _Andrew _," Mina read off his nametag with a teasing tone. "'Cause I'm warning you, me and 'Rena grew up on the coast, the home of _the_ best ice cream you'll ever taste, so we know our stuff!"

Andrew laughed as he placed two sparkling milkshake glasses on the countertop. He was beginning to like these two already. "Noted. What'll you have?"

Serena requested his very best raspberry ripple and chocolate shake, with an extra scoop of vanilla and dark chocolate shavings, and Mina ordered the summer fruits milkshake, heavy on the orange and mango, hold the passion fruit. As he got to work, Andrew began quizzing the twins. Shamelessly flirting all the while, Mina told him that because of their father's job- he was a journalist, Serena cut in to explain- the whole family had decided to finally make the move from the coast to the city, so that he could be around more. In a few weeks when the holidays ended, Mina and Serena would be the newest students at the local high school.

"We'll probably end up as two of your biggest regular customers, y'know!" Serena told Andrew as he slid her milkshake towards her, dipping a long-handled silver spoon into the thick whipped cream and blended raspberry and vanilla ice cream. She gave him an appreciative smile, wrapping her fingers around the frosty glass and scooping up a generous mouthful, soft peaks of cream sprinkled in chocolate flakes and dripping with ruby-red cherry sauce. "Mina and I love the Sailor Moon and Venus video games! Right, Mina?"

"Oh, totally," her twin echoed her enthusiasm with an odd glint in her cornflower-blue eyes. "It's our favourite pastime- though sometimes it gets us into a lot of trouble…"

"Ha! So, let me guess, you girls prefer two-player? Who plays as which Sailor, then?"

"I'm always the lovely Sailor Venus, of course," Mina grinned, wiping a smear of ice cream from her bottom lip and lazily twirling her spoon through the slowly melting confection in her tall glass. "We always work best when she's M and I'm V. It's a twin thing, I think. Oh, hey… speaking of which- Serena, you want to school these amateurs on two-player mode M&V III before we pick up the stuff for dinner? I think we could use a quick workout…"

* * *

"So, what did you think?" Mina asked as they left the Crown Arcade, waving goodbye to the blonde behind the counter, having finished their milkshakes and set a new high score on the nearest M&V console.

"Cute guy, plenty of ice cream and the latest M&V video games?" Serena sighed. "That's not just a Sailor Scout base- that's _heaven_!"

"Hey! We agreed- hands off until we know whose 'type' he is. If he's the super-polite reserved type, then he's _mine_!" Mina pouted, a fierce spark in her eyes. "Still… it seems that Luna and Artemis had the right idea about this place, anyway. I mean, so long as we don't mind breaking and entering."

"Don't call it that! It sounds so criminal!" Serena said, looking scandalised. "We're superheroes! We do _not_ break and enter, we- we borrow access without getting express permission first."

"Serena? Hate to break it to you, sis, but breaking and entering _is_ sort of a crime-"

"Not when we do it! L-look, let's just focus on getting the stuff for dinner now, okay?! Or mom will kill us both! That is, if Luna doesn't get to us first…"

"Okay, okay! Where'd you put the directions? You're probably right, anyway- if we don't get back soon, we're going to be toast…"

* * *

"_Jade-ite…_"

The Negaverse general felt a shudder slither down his spine at the purring feminine voice, crooning out his name faux-lovingly. Though he was certainly wise enough to keep his thoughts locked tightly behind his teeth and a façade of devotion and awe, the sound of his 'beloved' queen's voice never failed to set his skin crawling and set his teeth on edge. He felt a pair of cold arms encircle his neck like a winter fog, as demeaning as a dog's collar and threatening as a noose, and quickly composed himself, repressing the urge to bat the pale limbs away.

"My Queen."

Jadeite felt her arms tighten, the pliable flesh of her breasts crush against his back, almost spilling out of her bodice. "I want you to do something for me, Jadeite," she murmured, her muggy breath whooshing against his ear. "What do you think?"

The answer fell from his lips easily, a perfect recital of an expected answer. "My life is worthless, yours to command, my Queen, in our quest for the glory of the Negaverse. I am your pawn, at your service until my death. Ask anything of me and I shall do it gladly."

Beryl chuckled darkly, her hips pressing up to him, her cold curvaceous body wrapping around him, silken skirts whispering, showing her deep satisfaction for his answer. Jadeite bit his tongue to stop himself from snarling in disgust. Beryl was- ample, certainly, but he would rather have a barrel of scorpions in his bed than this malevolent witch. "Of course you are, Jadeite." Her mouth touched the shell of his ear, clammy and vaguely moist. "Soon, we will be able to finally launch our great attack on Earth and begin our conquest of the entire solar system- but first… we will need vast amounts of energy. The humans exude plenty in meaningless activities and emotions. Jadeite- I want you to go into the human's realm and gather it for me." A long, slender leg wrapped in a thin layer of silk hiked up around his stony form, a seductive voice humming in his ear. "Say yes, Jadeite. Tell me that you will die for me. Say that you will accept this mission."

Briefly, Jadeite wondered what she might do if he said no, contemplating the ruby-red talons tipping the pallid arms draped over his shoulders. "I will, my Queen. Anything that you desire."

The nails clutched above his heart, biting into his skin through the heavy fabric of his uniform, before loosening to play with the gold button. "_Anything_?"

Jadeite desperately wanted to reword his answer, but resigned himself to whatever Beryl might want from him this time.

"Anything, my Queen."

Her fingers twisted, popping the ingle button and sliding inside. "Good," she whispered, her teeth sinking into the flesh of his earlobe, clinking against his stud earring.


End file.
